A blog about homesteading and trying to live more simply. Trying to do more projects on my own in order to become more self-reliant. For the fun of it. Lots of pictures. By Julia Franke. Simplicity for Julia

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Monday, October 21, 2013

Goodnight Fig Tree

I bought a fig tree in the beginning of Spring. It is a special kind of fig tree. This fig tree is call a Chicago Hardy. I assumed, due to the name, that this typically warm weather tree would thrive in the zone 6 climate that I live in. And it did during the summer. It got leaves and even had a shoot coming off the bottom. (as an aside, I'm trying to root it, but no luck so far)

I even got some fruit from the tree. They are a little green because I picked them early. I was too excited to wait for them to brown up.

They were yummy. Barely any of us, aside from Jaxy, had any. Jaxy and I would walk out in the morning to let the chickens out of the coop for the day, stop and check the fig tree on the way and he would eat any ripe figs in the flash of an eye. We got about 10 figs the entire summer, which is awesome for a fruit tree's first year.

Anyway, I had to put the Fig Tree to sleep for the winter. There are two main ways to do this.

First is the Trench method. With this method, you dig a trench next to the tree, dig up half the tree's roots and knock the tree into the trench and cover it with dirt. I decided not to do this method since it seemed like this may be hard on the roots. I selected the second method.

In this method, you insulate the tree with dry organic matter. Some use straw, some use leaves. It's important that it's dry so that you don't end up composting your tree. This method is simple and a lot less labor intensive.

First, I wrapped fencing around the tree. I was around the drip edge of the tree, so fairly wide.

Then, I filled the fencing with fluffy straw. Easy as could be!

And now our fig tree is put to rest after an exciting first season on our patch. I hope it has a restful off-season.